{fig. i) there is an incurvod indentation on each 

 side of the disc with a feiTuginoas line down the 

 center; the scutellam is bi-oad and undefined; 

 the elytra sometimes extend almost to the apex 

 of the abdomen ; they are coriaot;ous, elliptical. 

 £^id rough, with numerous nervures, the inner 

 edge of one lying over the other in repose, be- 

 neath these are folded the wings, w liich are often 

 shorter, membraneous, with numerous branching 

 nervures, and reticulated ; the abdomen is de- 

 pressed, clongate-ovatc, and composed of eight 

 segments ; from the base of the last arise on each 

 side two spear-shaped processes, formed of 

 short joints, and to the under side of the same 

 are attached two slender curved appendages ; 

 the six legs are strong and longish, tlie coxa; and 

 tliighs are stout ; the tibiae are spiny ; the tarsi 

 are more slender and five-jointed, the basal joint 

 being long, the fourth minute, and the fifth ter- 

 minated by two curved sharp claws. The fe- 

 male (fig. 1) is generally larger, and the thorax 

 smoother ; instead of wings there is only a rudi- 



mentary elytron on each, ■with two broad thoracic 

 segments between them ; the abdomen is more 

 elliptical before the egg-bag is excluded, and 

 although it has the jointed appendages at the 

 apex, the two little tliread-like ones are want- 

 ing, and Uiis at once distinguishes the sexes. 



The female is veiy similar to the pupa, and 

 indeed it seems to remain in that state, except 

 that it has the little elytra, which are altogether 

 wanting, I believe, in the pupae. I may state 

 that the egg-bags often have a hole on one side 

 from which a pai-asitic fly had issued, called E va- 

 nia, which possibly we may treat of hereafter. 



Of all the remedies, a hedgehog, I know, 

 from my own observations, is the most effica- 

 cious, and wool or tow dipped in spirits of tur- 

 pentine and thrust into their habitations, will 

 kill and expel them, but this unfortunately is at- 

 tended with danger ; sprinkling over by day the 

 spots they frequent would be safer, and probably 

 attended with equal success if persevered in. 



[Ruricola. 



CHESHIRE CHEESE. 



Reflecting on the increase of our export of 

 Cheese to England, and how favorably the best 

 American is said already to compare with the 

 best English article, it might be deemed unrea- 

 sonable to occupy so much space as is given in 

 this number to the Essay on the making of 

 Cheshire Cheese — inasmuch as it may be 

 supposed that American cheese-makers have 

 little to learn on the subject. But in the first 

 place, we have to consider that the Agi-icultural 

 Society of the Country where this matter is 

 ])ractically as well, if not better, underistood 

 than in any other in the world, has indicated its 

 belief that there was yet room for observation 

 and improvement, by offering a premium for 

 the best Essay ; and then, it is not to be for- 

 gotten, that according to the fixed rules of 

 competition for all the prizes of that Society, all 

 information contained in prize Essays, must be 

 founded on experience or observation, and not 

 on simple reference to books or other .sources. — 

 Furthermore, the Society is not bound to award 

 the prize at all, if the Essay, though the best of- 

 fered, may not in itself be deemed worthy of it. 

 Thus we have a strong guaranty as well for the 

 need, as for tlie merit, of the Essay in this 

 case. 



Is it not a little remarkable, tliat the knowl- 

 edge and the habit of cheese-making should 

 have been confined, almost without variation, 

 since the first settlement of the country, as far as 

 (29:i) 



we are advised, to a particular part of the United 

 States ; and that in adjoining States the people 

 should remain in total ignorance of the process 

 from beginning to end — ignorance so total and 

 profound, that we apprehend some young men, 

 who ought to be familiar at least with the theory 

 of all such subjects, will here for the first time 

 read, in a way to have impressed on their mem- 

 ories, ere/i the exact meaning of the word 

 rennet 1 



In all the State of Maryland, within the reccl- 

 Icction of the writer, there has been, time out of 

 mind, but one clicese-maker — and but one raiser 

 or cultivator of pea-nuts, or ground peas. These 

 men were as remarkable in their day and gen- 

 eration as IzAAK Waltos" among fi.shennen in 

 times past, and Mr. \Vilder of Boston among 

 gentlemen-fruiterers and florists at the present 

 day. Both those characters, so distinguished, 

 each in his line, have gone the way of all flesh, 

 which Scripture saith is but " grass," and with 

 tliem have pa.ssed, into utter desuetude, their re- 

 spective occupations. One \va8Mr. Spkoston, 

 a respected farmer of Cecil county, Maryland, 

 who, in possessing the mystery of cheese-mak- 

 ing, was regarded with a degree of superstitious 

 respect, as a sort of necromancer. The other 

 character was an old gray -headed, gray-bearded 

 African born negro, who, by some chance, tra- 

 dition saith not how, got, solitarj' and alone of 

 his race, into Calvert county. To him was yielded 



